The bane of the news business is paying for it. One can:

  • Win the lottery
  • Inherit from a rich relative
  • Get readers to pay (see Knoxville Compass)
  • Get good souls to donate (see Knoxville Mercury)
  • Sell ads

Knox TN Today Inc. is going with option 5, and I’ve spent considerable time since Jan. 1 setting appointments (the hardest part), making the pitch (the most fun) and waiting for a decision (nail-chewing agony).

Vicki Johnson, a great long-distance runner, once told me: If you can run three miles, you can run five; if you can run 30 miles, you can run 50. Hmmm. I guess if you can run 300, you can run 500. Her advice didn’t go there.

The point is, you just don’t stop. So, keep an eye out for new advertiser/partner logos on www.knoxtntoday.com and forgive the hashtag #missingmarylou.

It’s hard to peddle partnerships and write politics. Here are the columns I’d like to write:

  • Hardin Valley is the county’s hot spot for new homes. Developers want density; residents want a plan. Even the state legislature wants a say. How much growth is enough and who will decide?
  • Gov. Bill Lee is throwing $25 million at vocational education – a lot of money for sure, but not enough to build one new school. Knox County Schools has waged war on Career Technical Education as high-stakes testing has forced principals to make hard choices. How many CTE positions have we lost? How much money would it take just to restore the programs we’ve cut? And should we do it?
  • Chapman Highway is a mess – bad for businesses, dangerous for motorists. And the city wants to install crosswalks and bike lanes. How about a simple turn lane?

Rob Frost, City Council’s attorney, posted: “Odd fact of the day: I’ve been in at least 63 major league and minor league ballparks (some now closed). I found a list at lunch and started counting. This count doesn’t include college ballparks. I think I have an issue 🙂 ⚾️

Harwell to Casada – Sunshine fades: Wow. House Speaker Glen Casada is moving quickly to undo tradition and House rules instituted by former Speaker Beth Harwell. According to The Tennessean, Casada wants to eliminate “speechifying” on the House floor. Also, he will allow committee chairs (all appointed by him) to stop live-streaming of committee meetings – where votes are often “by voice” with no record. The House Republican Caucus has decided to close its meetings to the public.

Becky Duncan Massey says her brother, retired U.S. Rep. John J. Duncan Jr., will teach a class at the Duncan School of Law at LMU and write a book of his stories. “Hope it’s not as wordy as his newsletters,” we joked. Massey was not amused.